Karaka Swan Song for Super Sires

[Wandering Eyes]

A group of outstanding international performers were lost from New Zealand’s stallion ranks two seasons ago, and Karaka 2022 will present a precious final opportunity for buyers to access yearlings from their very last crops.

Between them, Burgundy (NZ), Iffraaj, Sacred Falls (NZ) and Tavistock (NZ) have sired more than 1600 winners worldwide, 127 of them at stakes level. The top-quality quartet have made an enormous impact on both sides of the Tasman throughout the last decade, and both Iffraaj and Tavistock now have Group One-winning sons embarking on stud careers of their own.

BURGUNDY

Cambridge Stud’s Burgundy, who sadly died in 2019 at the age of just 11, is himself a Karaka graduate – bought by Te Akau Racing’s David Ellis for $1.3 million at Karaka 2010.

He won seven of his 12 starts, five of them at stakes level, and placed in the Group One Telegraph (1200m) at Trentham.

Since taking up residence at Cambridge Stud in 2013, Burgundy has sired 89 winners from 186 runners, with eight individual stakes winners.

He is the sire of New Zealand Group Two winners Dijon Bleu (NZ), Belle En Rouge (NZ), Hard Merchandize (NZ) and Australia’s Brandenburg (NZ).

The current season has been Burgundy’s best ever, sitting in fifth place on the New Zealand sires’ premiership with 27 winners, four stakes winners and more than $1 million in stakes. His top performers this season include Group 2 winner Belle En Rouge, Group Three winners Bellacontte (NZ), Maven Belle (NZ) and Mondorani (NZ), and the Group Two-placed Sassy Merlot (NZ) and Marchand (NZ).

Burgundy’s final offering at Karaka 2022 includes Lot 400 – a half-sister to this season’s Group One Sistema Railway (1200m) and Group Two Sheraco Stakes (1200m) heroine Entriviere (NZ) (Tavistock).

Iffraaj. Photo: Trish Dunell

IFFRAAJ

Outstanding shuttle stallion Iffraaj left New Zealand for the final time in 2019, signing off after more than a decade of superb service at Haunui Farm. He has left a lasting legacy, with his Group One-winning sons Jon Snow (NZ), Ribchester, Turn Me Loose (NZ) and Wyndspelle (NZ) all now at stud in New Zealand.

Overall, Iffraaj has sired 1003 winners from 1652 runners worldwide, with 81 stakes winners including 11 at Group One level.

His New Zealand-conceived progeny have produced 364 winners from 602 runners, with 39 black-type winners headed by triple Group One winners Turn Me Loose and Gingernuts (NZ). He is also the sire of Perth superstar Western Empire (NZ).

The Iffraaj influence now spans multiple generations – his Group One-winning son Wootton Bassett is the sire of emerging star Cambridge Stud stallion Almanzor, whose first-crop son Dynastic (NZ) won this season’s $1m Karaka Million 2YO (1200m).

The final New Zealand crop of Iffraaj yearlings features prominently in Karaka 2022 with 18 in Book 1 and three in Book 2, including:

Lot 183, whose stakes-winning dam Cote d’Or (NZ) (Makfi) comes from the exceptional Pencarrow Stud family of Ethereal (NZ) (Rhythm), Darci Brahma (NZ) and Burgundy.
Lot 396, a filly out of a half-sister to five-time Group One-winning mare Alexander Goldrun (Gold Away).

Sacred Falls. Photo: Supplied

SACRED FALLS

In a story similar to so many others in the history of thoroughbred breeding, the stud career of four-time Group One winner Sacred Falls has gone to a new level since his death in late 2019.

The couple of years since then have unearthed Group One winner Aegon (NZ), high-class mare Icebath (NZ), the Group One-placed Impecunious (NZ) and Group winners Zee Falls (NZ), All Saints’ Eve (NZ), Courier Wonder (NZ) and All Hallows’ Eve (NZ).

Overall, Sacred Falls is the sire of 92 winners from 165 runners. Karaka 2022 will feature 19 members of his final yearling crop in Book 1, with another four in Book 2, including:

Lot 122, a colt out of Best Command (Court Command), a stakes-placed half-sister to Group One winner First Seal (Fastnet Rock).
Lot 279, a son of Group Two winner and Group One-placed Gold Fever (NZ) (Savabeel).
Lot 503, a half-sister to three stakes winners including Group One winner Brambles (NZ) (Savabeel).

Sacred Falls himself was bought for $160,000 at Karaka 2011 by Mulcaster Bloodstock, from the draft of Waikato Stud.

The son of champion sire O’Reilly (NZ) made an enormous impression with dazzling victories in all of his first six starts, including the Group One New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m), and later added another three elite triumphs in Sydney – the George Main Stakes (1600m) and back-to-back runnings of the iconic Doncaster (1600m).

Tavistock. Photo: Trish Dunell

TAVISTOCK

In an outstanding stud career that was cut short by his untimely death in 2019, Tavistock became renowned as a terrific sire of classic horses.

The Cambridge Stud star’s 33 stakes winners include Group One Victoria Derby (2500m) winners Tarzino (NZ) and Johnny Get Angry (NZ), Group One Australian Derby (2400m) winner Tavago (NZ), Group One Rosehill Guineas (2000m) winner Volkstok’n’barrell (NZ), Group One Schweppes Oaks (2000m) winner Toffee Tongue (NZ), triple Group One winner and Hong Kong Derby (2000m) hero Werther (NZ), and Singapore Derby (2000m) winner Infantry (NZ). He is also the sire of the exciting New Zealand three-year-old Pinarello (NZ), who is among the favourites for the upcoming New Zealand Derby (2400m).

But Tavistock was no one-trick pony, as his scintillating sprinting mare Entriviere (NZ) has demonstrated with blistering victories in this season’s Group One Sistema Railway (1200m) and Group Two Sheraco Stakes (1200m). Tavistock himself was a dual Group One winner over 1400 metres, capturing the Mudgway Stakes at Hastings and Waikato Sprint at Te Rapa.

Time is running out to get your hands on a Tavistock yearling, and Karaka 2022 will give you that opportunity with 16 in Book 1 and one in Book 2, including:

Lot 434, a filly out of the French black-type performer Mourasana (Shirocco).
Lot 449, out of a winning full-sister to the Group One-winning Pasadena Girl (NZ) (Savabeel).
Lot 468, the first foal out of a winning full-sister to Group One Australian Guineas (1600m) hero Rock Classic (Fastnet Rock).

For the second year, buyers who are unable to physically attend the Sale will be able to participate via NZB’s user-friendly online bidding platform. Visit bidonline.nzb.co.nz to ensure you are registered for bidding 24 hours prior to Karaka 2022.

New Zealand-based agents are also available to complete inspections on behalf of international buyers at on farm parades and at the iconic Karaka Sales Centre.

View the full Book 1 and Book 2 catalogues online at nzb.co.nz.

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